This visually exciting site offers both background information on the planets and a unique way for students to remember the order of the planets. To play the game, students hit the letter key that corresponds to the beginning letter of the planet name whenever the planet, rotating around the sun, hits the "hot zone." The music, flashing lights, planetary movement, and other effects make this activity extremely engaging. Students will love the excitement of this game so much they will not even know they are learning something! This site is up to date (Pluto is not included). Gustav Holst's famous composition, The Planets serves as the musical accompaniment! The site has some minor advertisements.

In the Classroom

Share HOW to use this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students try out the site on individual computers. Make sure you provide headsets! Be sure to list this site on your class website, blog, or wiki for students to use as a review for their study of planet names, solar system planet order, and speed of rotation. Music teachers can use this site as an example of musical description as students explore the planets. Be sure to turn up the speakers!

Looking for simple ways to showcase simple math and science concepts? No money for classroom materials? Look no further. Use these simple instructions for making educational toys using everyday materials. Each toy easily demonstrates concepts that are basic for understanding processes of science. View an unbelievable amount of toys under the following categories: "Amazing Astronomy," "Pumps from the Dump," "Math Magic," "Paper Fun," Tipping Toppling Toys," Motor and Generator," "Electricity and Magnetism," "Newton Unplugged," "Fun with Pressure," "Fun with Light," "Toys from Trash," "Simple Sounds," "Strong Structures," "Flying Toys," "Force Fun," "Spinning Toys," and others. View annotated photos of the construction process or download detailed instructions. This site requires adobe Acrobat. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom

Share this site on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Use the simple directions and pictures for students to make their own manipulatives. After creating and observing, students can share their observations and the math and science processes can be uncovered. Use these to uncover misconceptions and dispel myths that undermine understanding of processes. Group students to choose one manipulative and present the concept to the class. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create their own "Toy From Trash." Have the groups create videos to share their "toys" and instructions. Share the video clips using a site such as Teachers.TV reviewed here.

Play interesting word, math, and other games with this free site. Specific topics include "Strategy Games and Quests," "Problems and Brainteasers," "Zero Gravity," "Entrapment," "Junior Edition Games," and several others.

Membership is not required though members receive additional benefits. Find an interesting activity to try. On its page, click to play the game, read the directions for play, bookmark the specific game, or generate a link for embedding in a website, wiki, or blog. Printable game worksheets that can be customized can also be found on this site. Note: Ads appear along the side and students should be cautioned in clicking on these ads. Teachers should decide whether you are willing tolerate the extensive ads in light of the high-value site content.

In the Classroom

Use these activities for problem solving drills and interest in words or numbers. Many of the activities could also be used for science class, research, or math extension activities. These interactives can be used for review that is both educational and engaging. Save this site in your favorites, as it is useful in many subject areas. Share this link with your students on your class website or wiki.

Relive the Apollo 11 moon mission in rich multimedia format. Follow the mission in "real time" exactly 40 years later, including all transmissions. For those who are not old enough to remember the 1969 mission, the real experience is powerful. For those who do remember, this site can spark personal commentary and oral history of the historic days during the summer of 1969. Offered by the John F. Kennedy library, this re-enactment started in 40-year-old "real time in July, 2009, but can be accessed and experienced in all or in part at any time after its "conclusion" on July 20, 2009. This is the ultimate "primary source"!

In the Classroom

Bring your class into the space exploration era on a projector or interactive whiteboard (be sure to turn on speakers!). Include this experience as part of a unit on the 1960s, a science study and comparison of technologies since the 1960s, or as part of a unit about the moon. Allow students to explore and navigate the site on their own, then write a "blog post" as an astronaut or a NASA worker in 1969. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Loose Leaves, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration. Advise students to provide evidence of their learning and observations. "Follow" the mission in real time over a period of several days, letting it run on your classroom computer, and assigning different students to report on the day's events. Explore some of the actual flight data in physics class as a practical application of some of Newton's laws. Use this site as a spark for students to collect oral histories on this and other events of the 1960s, using media resources as prompts to talk with family and friends about their recollections.

Download free shareware games to encourage thinking and practice identifying geometric shapes. Many of the downloads are games, while others provide opportunities to view computer art and find the hidden geometry or for students to create their own! There are also activities connecting math to physics and astronomy.

Be sure to check with your technology department about the ability to download these applications to school computers. Many districts have restrictions on the ability to download. Click on each game icon to read a description of the games included and some uses. Games are Mac and Windows compatible. Read their FAQ link with each set of games for the most asked questions about the shareware. Once downloaded, to "stop" a program, click Esc. If you are not allowed to install software on your own, share these powerful games with your math or art supervisors so they can advocate for you with the tech folks.

In the Classroom

Use many of the images as an introductory inquiry activity to get students thinking about shapes and space. In art class, use the tiling activity and others on a projector before having student create their own on paper. Share the activities on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Provide images to groups to explore and identify the underlying math concepts present in the artwork. Provide an opportunity for some groups to create their own work with a geometric shape that they are investigating. Follow up with student projects of the geometric shape or photographs of geometric shapes in nature and man-made structures.

Come to this site to learn more about space! This site features several interactive puzzles, a word bank of about 30 vocabulary words, an "alphalary" of solar system terms, and more. Many of the activities are able to be printed FREE of charge.

In the Classroom

Use this site to enhance your astronomy lessons. The word bank could easily be used as vocabulary words for students to research on their own. Share the word puzzles on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students attempt to create their own word puzzles about an astronomy topic that your class is studying. Use an online puzzle creation tool such as Just Crosswords reviewed here or Puzzlemaker, reviewed here.

Think you know about the motion of the planets? Use this simulation to show the movements of Earth, Venus, Sun, or other planets. Create trails of the orbits to look at motion. View retrograde motion and movement of other planets from using a different planet as the "center." Controls on the left change the scale, speed, and brightness as well as other viewing controls. Click on "Introductory Tour" to learn the controls and what they do.

Be advised: Pluto appears to be included as a planet at this site. How long do you think it will take for your students to notice?

In the Classroom

Introduce this site on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students go through the screens that provide information along with the movement of the planets. Students can devise their own explanation of retrograde motion and observe and describe the motion of other orbits from a different planets viewpoint. After viewing the interactive, have students create their own multimedia presentation about the planets, retrograde motion, or another astronomy topic.

This site offers a collection of activities to explore the planets and solar system. They were developed by K-12 teachers in Hawaii as part of a summer continuing education program. While there are a number of attractive units here, the lack of specified grade levels will require that you sample for yourself before determining whether any of these items might be useful in your science class. Still, if the planets are the topic, this collection is worth a look

Use this free application to create accurate 3D models of the solar system. Show the planets and orbits as well as the sun and the moon. View detailed information of the physical and chemical make-up of the planets, the energy of the sun, and details of solar eclipse. View all images in great color. Change orbit views or tilt and rotate orbits to other angles. Speed up or slow down the movement of the solar system. Application download is for Windows PC only and appears NOT to work with Vista.

In the Classroom

Users will need the skills of downloading and finding and managing applications. The software is easy to use and has a wonderful interface for finding great information about the planets.
The only safety concern is whether your school's policy allows you to install this free software. If not, try approaching an administrator or department head to show them the descriptions and request installation at least on you teacher computer for sharing on projector and/or whiteboard.

Use this free model to understand the physics of the universe or learn astronomy. Use as a science fair project, to ask questions or find answers, and to create material for presentation online or in class. Share the model on your interactive whiteboard or projector.

View slideshow pictures of science topics with captions. Looking for more information? Links on each slideshow page lead to related articles on the topic. Categories of slideshows include: Health, Space, Technology, Environment, Energy, Physics, Math, and History of Science, among others. New slideshows are added frequently. Some of the newer additions (at the time of this review) included "Was Einstein Wrong?: A Quantum Threat to Special Relativity," "Anatomy Lessons Through The Ages," "150 Years Ago: The Birth of the Industrial Revolution," "How Meat Contributes to Global Warming," and many others. You can search by category on the right side of the site.

In the Classroom

Use these beautiful images without copyright worries by accessing this site live in class. Make science come alive visually as an activator or anticipatory set to your lessons. With younger students, share simply the pictures! Share the relevant slideshows on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Follow the slideshows with reading of related articles and topics. Challenge students to reflect and discuss as groups or individually in a blog post or conventional writing assignment. Relate material in the slideshow or articles to other material discussed in class or in the current news headlines. Assign one student a week to share a "science in our world" two-minute synopsis of his/her slideshow choice on interactive whiteboard to highlight the use and excitement of real science in the world today, sort of "current events" for science class.

Check out these great Science videos and resources! Each topic has video clips, external web links to great information, and additional resources. Video clips use Windows Media Player available on the website. Search through many topics in "Earth and Space," "Energy and Force," "Engineering and Technology," "Living Things," and "Matter."

In the Classroom

Capture students' attention using these great video clips and activities. Use the clips for pre-lessons for students to observe and ask questions (sort of a video KWL activity). Use this to discuss important information and as an opportunity to research, experiment, and learn more about the concepts. Make a video one of your centers with elementary science units.

At this site you can create your own rockets: Delta II, Delta IV, Atlas V, or Pegasus. There are "first timer" instructions provided. Learn about topics such as fairing, avionics, assembly, configuration, and more. Of course, younger students can use this as a study in basic physics and laws of motion. This site does require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom

If you are teaching about astronomy, the history of rockets, how rockets work, or other related topics...check out this free site! Share the instruction on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students "create" their own rockets independently or with a partner. Be sure to share the creations!

Use this comprehensive site to learn about the planets of the solar system as well as other objects. Use the "Stargazing" tab to view "Weekly Tips," "Sky Almanac," "Constellation Guide," "Moon Phases," "Beginner's Guide," and more. Under the "Teacher's" tab use resources such as "Lesson Plans," "Classroom Activities," "StarDate in the Classroom," or "Teacher Workshops." Materials in the teacher section provide activity directions, materials needed, as well. as documents in Adobe pdf format. There are lessons from K-12. In the "Resources" section, you will find a wealth of information and pictures about the Sun, inner planets, outer planets, and minor bodies. View past and future planned space missions. Links to keywords allow for a greater understanding of the material. Activities in the "Resources" section are listed along the side with appropriate ages. Ask Merlin provides questions and their answers. A tab to the "Gift Shop" is available, so students should be cautioned. Some of the classroom activities require Adobe Reader. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom

Use the activities in the Teacher's resource section to provide background material for understanding Astronomy. Many activities may already be known to the teacher, but these are thoroughly explained. Students could even teach the concepts to their classmates and use these activities as a demonstration.

Here's a planet-by-planet introduction to the solar system which features stunning photographs and supporting content. If you are thinking that there are eight planets and not nine, you are right, and the website points out that fact. This continually-updated site has much of the latest research on all planets, moons, and other bodies in our solar system. This site goes beyond the pictures that are courtesy of NASA as well as the information learned from countless missions. The site also provides insight into how to view planets with binoculars and other materials as well as information on mythology and history. View the movies provided and listen to the recorded sounds. Gain a renewed appreciation of the solar system using this informative site. This site does include some advertising. But it is not distracting from the great content.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Want to find updated information about the objects in the solar system? Have your students use this site. Divide your students into groups and have them report on a particular object in the solar system. Have them present a report on one of the 8 planets, as though teaching their peers. Have students create a multimedia presentation using UtellStory, reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. To find Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try PhotoPin, reviewed here.Consider making a class wiki about the solar system and including drawings or photos your students might create from their observations.

The Mars Rover is providing information continually. Use this site to keep track of recent findings, developments, and understandings from the Mars Rover. This site appears as a series of news articles listed in reverse chronological order along with their abstracts. Click on each newsworthy item to learn more information. Additional links are provided in each article. A Spaceref directory can be found that links to additional Mars related topics on the Spacref.com website. There are some advertisements at this website.

This interactive site provides answers to many questions about the solar system, including information about planets, constellations, deep space, space exploration, and the universe. Click on any category to begin an in-depth explanation that goes several levels deeper. The site also includes an astronomy dictionary and links to news about space related topics. The teacher's site contains worksheets and a link to the online astronomy learning academy. The "academy" is a source for free in-depth lessons called courses, each with reading, assignments, and a completion certificate. There are numerous educational games at this site, including one to teach you how to identify constellations. There is some advertising on this site. To fully enjoy this site, you must have Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom

This site contains in-depth portions on planets and space exploration. Refer students to this when natural events like eclipses and comets are occurring. Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects or as a major resource for your astronomy unit. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to create an anticipatory set for a new lesson. Once this site is introduced, set up a science learning station for students to explore assigned areas of the site on individual computers.

This NASA-inspired time line introduces the great minds of science. It also makes the connection that advances in science have come from others "standing on the shoulders of giants." From Nicolaus Copernicus to present-day scientists, each scientist has a short biography and conversational quote that is a clue to the contribution of another scientist. Place the mouse cursor in the middle of the orbit and move it to the left or right to control the time line forward or back in time. Hold the mouse in the middle to stop on the scientist of choice. Click the picture to read the biography. Click on the link light to follow the conversation between scientists. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom

What a great introduction to science through the centuries! Use this time line to start a unit on scientific research through the ages. Students can select a scientific concept such as gravity or immunizations and develop a "family tree" to show contributing scientists from the past and into the present. A family tree can be created in a word document using an organizational flow chart or as a PowerPoint presentation with links to various scientists. Students can record narrations with an inexpensive microphone onto the PowerPoint slides to give "voice" to these past giants.

This site is best viewed in 1024 x 768 screen resolution. You might want to practice controlling and moving the time line to get the feel of it. Be sure to play the entire presentation at least once to have it in the local computer memory for a smooth presentation with your students. The website has a sound track so consider turning it down or muting it, as it can be distracting.

Use this site to understand the ozone and how it affects our air quality and life here on Earth. Satellite imagery of ozone holes includes an updated daily picture and comparison over the last decades. NASA facts listed on the side include an opportunity to learn more about the information presented, watch satellite images from the last 7 days, view animations, compare year-to-date, and look at the annual records since 1979 using "Ozone Hole Watch." Information about the ozone and how it is measured is explained in detail here. "Explore the ozone with NASA" by viewing a short video that outlines the ozone and discusses new research and climate change. Use the "Resources for News Media" to view the Multimedia gallery for pictures of the largest ozone hole on record, the Arctic vortex, and Earth's Atmospheric Layers. Information about ozone depleting chemicals and ozone chemistry is also found here. View video of the ozone missions from NASA. "Ozone Hole 101" provides basic content about the ozone that is easy to understand for students. Read interesting information such as "Ozone levels drop when hurricanes are strengthening" and "Ozone hole is a double record breaker." This site requires Quicktime and animations require Flash. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom

Students can use the resources in "Ozone Hole Watch" to determine the trends in the ozone either daily or over the years. Further research involving political, consumer, and environmental trends can bring insights into effects on the ozone layer. Using the wealth of material on the site, students can use the information to create a "Handbook of the Earth" (as an example) to understand how the ozone affects us in our current and future lives. Students can also work in groups and be assigned portions of the content to study. They can then present their findings to the rest of the class (using a multi-media presentation). Students can use this information in conjunction with environmental or Earth Day activities in or out of class.

This wonderfully informative website provides numerous "case files" about many famous people from the world of science and technology.. There are five major areas including computing, transportation, cosmic inquiry, energy, and communications. Once you click on one of the major areas, a list of names appears. Then click on the names of the famous people to learn more about their specific inventions and/or contributions to science and technology. The text also includes images of artifacts from each scientist's life: diaries, writings, and more, all clickable to bring up a larger image of the "real thing." Numerous famous scientists and inventors are included (Alexander Graham Bell, William Jennings, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Catherine Gibbon, and many others).

In the Classroom

There is a "teachers link" available to learn more about this website. Why not use this website as a resource for "case file" research projects. Assign each student (or groups of students) a different person to investigate. Weaker readers may need a partner with strong reading skills. Then have the students present a multimedia presentation about their "case file." Or have a day when students actually portray their scientist and interact with others "in character."

This website shows how the solar system rotates as time passes. Click "Visible" Solar System to start the simulation. Use the date and time controls to manipulate "time." You can also see the skies from the ground, view the sun in relation to the earth and other planets, and more. Students will marvel at the comet simulation and the comet and eclipse predictors. The website also features information on each separate planet and alternate historical views of the solar system, including the Copernican and the Jovian. The site requires JAVA. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom

Use your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to show students how the night sky changes as the hours pass. Since the print is small, have students use the whteboard pens to cirle things or point out special features of the "sky." There is a Notes for Teachers link that provides descriptions of each activity and some ideas to incorporate the activities into your class.

Use this website when teaching ESL/ELL students about space and the solar system since this website is highly visual and contains few words.